Wound Dressings

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Dressings play a key role in the healing of wounds and are vital for wound care. Choosing the right wound care product is important for quick recovery because it comes into direct contact with the wound unlike a bandage. It protects the wound from infection, absorbs exudate and creates the right environment for healing.

Manage chronic and difficult-to-heal wounds with different types of medical dressings like silver, collagen, antimicrobial, topical, hydrogel, alginate, mepilex, iodine, gauze, hydrocolloid, hydrocellular and hydrofiber. Also available are silicone and honey dressings as well astopical and composite dressings. Keep catheter and IV insertion sites free of bacteria with products developed for this purpose. Una Boot ones will take care of venous in sufficiencies while embarrassing moments may be avoided with odor absorbent dressings.

Which dressing should you buy? How to select a dressing?

There are multiple choices in wound dressings. Know your wound type because each dressing is designed to tackle specific conditions. Picking the right one, as recommended by your wound care professional, will ensure that recovery is fast.

Dressing by Exudate Type

For a wound with heavy exudate, the dressing needed is one that not only absorbs the excess drainage but also keeps the wound moist. Excess moisture does not promote healing but at the same time, some amount is needed to help it. So, the key here is getting the right level of moisture.

For heavy exudate, absorbent dressings are required. These may be used as primary or secondary dressing and are designed to have minimum adherence to the wound bed. They do not allow infection to set in because the bacteria are trapped inside the dressing along with cellular debris and the excess exudate. Absorbent dressings promote healing through natural debridement and new skin growth.

Wounds with moderate-to-heavy exudate can be treated with alginate dressings made with natural alginate fibers from seaweed. They are flat or rope dressings and ideal for pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, burns, cavity wounds and wounds associated with diabetes. Initially dry, but once placed on a wound these dressings absorb the exudate and become gel-like. Tegaderm alginate dressings and Maxorb alginate dressings are popular buys.

Foam dressings with honey are effective in handling heavy exudate. The foam absorbs the exudate and honey is released to ensure the right level of moisture in the wound bed for fast healing. Hollister, Medline and Covidien are top manufacturers of foam dressings.

Hydrofiber dressings are absorbent, too. They form a gel on absorbing the wound fluid and conform to the wound surface.

Wounds with light drainage can be treated with hydrocolloid dressings. Dry-to-minimally draining ulcers and open surgical wounds needhydrogel dressings.

Dressing by Wound TypeBurns

Burn dressings will depend on the severity of the wound. A first degree or superficial burn can be treated with Medihoney paste or gel while for second degree burn there are antimicrobial dressings, silver dressings, non-adherent dressings as well as hydrogel dressings. Hydrocolloid dressing can be used for burns which have light-to-moderate exudate. A collagen dressing can also be used for second degree or higher burns. This type stimulates new tissue growth and allows for the healing of necrotic wounds and skin grafts.

Infected wounds

Infected wounds can be treated with hydrogel dressings. This type is non-adhesive to the wound and has high moisture content thus preventing bacteria and oxygen from reaching the affected area.

Transplant sites, surgical wounds and wounds with large surface areas need collagen dressings from reputed manufacturerslike Medline and Acelity/Systagenix. Collagen speeds up the recovery period because of new collagen formation at the wound site stimulating new tissue growth.

Ulcers

Bedsores or pressure ulcers occur because of continuous pressure on the skin. This leads to sores especially in the bony areas of the body like heel, ankle, tailbone and the hips.

Stage 1 pressure ulcers are not open wounds. At this stage, transparent film dressings and hydrocolloid dressings will be effective. These are breathable, thin and allow moisture vapor and oxygen exchange.

For stage 2 pressure ulcers, hydrocolloid dressing is found effective. Itreacts with the exudate to form a gel-like covering. Hydrogel dressing is also used for stage 2, being non-adhesive and soothing.

For stages3 and 4 pressure ulcers, dressings recommended are hydrogel, hydrophilic and hydrocolloid.

Medihoney gel with hydrophilic wound dressing is recommended for dry or light drainage arterial ulcers. For heavy drainage, calcium alginate or hydrofiber dressings are more effective. Hydrofiber dressings show benefits of both hydrocolloids and alginate with a gelling action that promotes healing. Choosing the right type of dressing can keep your wound free from infections and promote quick healing. Browse through our catalog and related articles to help make the right decision.

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